In a press conference Monday morning, Dwayne De Rosario and the Houston Dynamo announced their Nothing But Nets campaign for the June 12 match against the New England Revolution and were joined by several local officials, who promised support of the campaign and even pledged money to the cause.
Aimed at stopping the spread of malaria in Africa, where a child dies from the disease every 30 seconds, the Dynamo's Nothing But Nets campaign gives local fans a chance to get involved with the outreach program.
"This is a great opportunity for citizens in Houston, Texas to reach across the ocean, to span the chasm to Africa, and other regions in the world where malaria is still prevalent, and make a difference," United States Congressman Al Green said. In his effort to support the campaign, Green pledged $1,000 to the campaign.
Fans can purchase $20 tickets for the Nothing But Nets match against New England, with $10 going directly to purchase one bed net, which can help protect a family of four from mosquitoes. De Rosario, a campaign spokesman and the driving force behind the Dynamo's involvement, said his first-hand experience with the campaign made a sizable impact.
"When I actually went over there and saw the devastation that it caused in Mali - the families, the villages and the kids were all infected with malaria - one couldn't help but reach out and do whatever it takes to make sure that this problem is addressed," De Rosario said. "It is our duty to give back in any way we can. Today, this is a cry for people to come and do whatever they can to help out."
Fans will also have the opportunity to sign up as team captains, encouraging friends and co-workers to buy a ticket for the match and save a life in the process. Successful captains will be honored on the field in a pre-game ceremony for helping the Dynamo toward their goal of saving 1,000 lives from ticket proceeds from the June 12 game.
Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis added to Green's contributions to the campaign with his own $500 donation and said the campaign should hit home for any Houston-area resident.
"Sometime we take it for granted. Being here in this oasis along the bayou, we forget the history of our city. We are truly in an area where mosquitoes reign," Ellis said. "Early on when Stephen F. Austin and the early settlers were here, malaria was a major problem for us."
Malaria is still a very real problem throughout Africa, as Marlene McClinton, the Honorary Consul General of the Côte d'Ivoire, attested.
"There are places where about 60,000 people live, and they have access to only two doctors," McClinton said. "With something like Nothing But Nets, you can at least begin dealing with a critical illness without having a doctor nearby."
Representatives from United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and United States Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee also spoke in support of the campaign and pledged to engage in a fundraising competition with other political offices.
Dynamo President/General Manager Oliver Luck said he hopes local fans will take up the cause and help Houston reach its goal of saving more than 1,000 lives.
"Major League Soccer and the Houston Dynamo have teamed up to try to make a difference in eradicating malaria and decreasing the number of deaths that take place because of malaria," Luck said. "A $20 ticket will provide a family of four with one bed net, which we think is a great way for folks here in Houston to help eradicate malaria. We want to continue to do the great work that the UN has started with this campaign."
